Reckless Whim
by GreenPaw
Summary: When Marinette realises her chances of winning Adrien's heart are remote she diverts her attention to Luka. Yet their romantic relationship is difficult to maintain while hiding that she's Ladybug. Harder still is the balance of keeping a jealous Chat Noir in line. But what happens when Luka's patience is pushed to the limit and temptation is thrust his way?
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter One_

Colourful lights strobed, music blared and people danced. Marinette was swaying to the beat but things were not going the way she had hoped. Yes, she was out having fun with her friends, watching the band comprised of her old classmates. And yes, by some miracle Adrien had actually been allowed out to be their keyboardist. But gaining and holding her crush's attention was practically impossible. There were fangirls everywhere but the real drawback was the presence of Kagami.

The delicate yet striking features of the petite beauty held Adrien captivated. His alluring smile was frequently flashed her way as his fingers raced across the keyboard. Of course, Adrien had personally invited his sparring partner from fencing and his eyes had been drifting to her for most of the night. Bitterness had Marinette's throat constricting as she watched the flirty glances passing between them. It had gotten to the point where she couldn't watch Adrien anymore.

Needing a distraction, Marinette let her eyes drifted over the rest of the band and she was surprised to discover Luka watching her. Juleka's older brother no longer sported the blue tips to his hair, now that dark artful mess was its natural deep brown. His blue eyes were crinkled with amusement and his lips were curled upward in a shy yet rakish smile which made her heart skip a beat. Adrien might have been oblivious to the fact that Marinette was a desirable specimen of female variety however Luka had no such trouble, given the smouldering stare he was bestowing upon her.

Plus, there was something sensual in the way Luka held his guitar and moved to the rhythm. His antics were suggestive and Marinette felt her cheeks flush just a little. These days she was much more controlled in schooling her expressions. Escaping her teen years had a lot to do with that. Long gone were their high school days, now they were out in the world either studying or working.

Despite this change, Marinette still had a secret part-time superhero job of fighting Hawkmoth. The elusive villain was less active these days but remained a nuisance. Continuing to harass Parisian citizens while he endeavoured to steal the most powerful pair of miraculous from Ladybug and Chat Noir. This made balancing everyday life a continual struggle but somehow Marinette made it work. But she didn't want to think on that right now.

Instead she held her appreciative gaze on Luka as he finished his set and reached down for his water bottle. Leaving the stage, the musician sauntered her way with a self-assurance that screamed of sexiness. Luka was something of an introvert, yet he had the charisma to pull people in. While on stage he seemed to shed his quietness and become a true entertainer. Marinette supposed it had to do with losing himself to the music. As a fellow artist she could understand that, even if the medium was different.

"Hey," he said with a nod as he reached her.

"Long time no see," Marinette replied with a smile.

"Indeed." Luka placed his water bottle on the table behind her as the next band began to play. The musician extended his hand. "Dance with me?"

Marinette happily accepted his invitation and Luka led her to the dancefloor. Finding an empty space, Luka gave a playful tug on Marinette's hand and pulled her close. The song had a fast tempo but neither had any problems keeping up. The clumsiness Marinette exhibited during her school days had lessened over the years, plus it helped that she wasn't trying to impress Adrien who was often the catalyst to her embarrassing behaviour.

There was no tripping or shuffling. She moved with the grace and elegance of her alter ego. Luka was an excellent dancer, spinning her out and around, reminding her of the time they'd ice skated together when she'd tried to help Adrien with Kagami. The thought had her spying to where she'd last seen the model. His blonde mop of hair was like a beacon to her roaming eyes in the sea of people. She quickly located him across the room, deep in conversation with Kagami.

Marinette was momentarily distracted as Luka reeled her close. But she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck and peer over his shoulder. Much to her horror, she watched as Kagami took Adrien's face between her hands and the pair leaned in for a slow lingering kiss.

A heavy weight settled in Marinette's chest at the display of affection. In the past, she would have been exceptionally jealous, burning with a need to plot a variety of scenarios to overthrow her rival while winning Adrien's favour. But she wasn't a teenager anymore, nor was she obsessed with the notion that her future would be with the model. Real life had opened her eyes to the odds of such a reality coming to fruition.

Witnessing their kiss was enough for Marinette to finally accept that nothing was ever going to happened between her and Adrien, at least in a romantic sense. The begrudging truth was she'd been friend zoned for years. If she wanted a real loving relationship it wasn't going to be with him. Dipping her chin, Marinette averted her eyes to stare blankly at Luka's denim covered shoulder. It was no secret that the musician harboured feelings for her. While he'd never said as much out loud, it was obvious from his expressions and body language.

Juleka had mentioned earlier that her brother was currently single. His last girlfriend had dumped him months ago when her own band had been given a label offer they couldn't refuse. Apparently, she'd said she needed to concentrate on her music, crafting her art to the highest form, meaning Luka would be a distraction.

The music changed to a ballad and Marinette lifted her head to look her dance partner in the eye. Luka never considered himself great with words but his gaze expressed so much. He was an observant man and he noticed when her attention settled on his lips. The arms around her waist tightened and his mouth descended to hers. "May I kiss you, Marinette?"

She gave a slight nod and murmured, "Yes."

The pair closed the miniscule distance between them, their lips meeting in a gentle caress as they swayed to the music. Closing her eyes, Marinette lost herself to the moment. Enjoying the feeling of being desired. Relishing the sensation of having her feelings reciprocated. Marinette Dupain-Cheng decided to forget all about Adrien Agreste and focus on Luka Couffaine. A guy who actually wanted her in return.

* * *

**I suppose this chapter could be a short story in itself, but where's the fun in that? XD**

**With Marinette closing the door on a possible relationship with Adrien, what will fate have to say about that?**

**Let me know your thoughts in the review box below. Thanks for reading :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

Adrien didn't know how much longer he could hold up. Acting wasn't one of his better fortes, even if he was brilliant at feigning emotions for the camera. Was anyone buying the smouldering looks he was throwing Kagami's way? Honestly, the girl owed him big time. Then again, he wasn't one to say no to a friend in need. Especially a friend whose skill with a sword rivalled his own.

Yet it boggled his mind to think there was an unwanted suitor out there stupid enough to continue pursuing Kagami, given that she'd threatened to disembowel him if he didn't leave her alone. Although Adrien wasn't blind to Kagami's appeal. There was something downright sexy about a strong woman who could handle herself in battle. The thought had his mind racing off on a Ladybug themed tangent, meaning his lovestruck expression was now genuine.

While there had been a time when Adrien had entertained the notion of dating Kagami, he'd quickly changed his mind after a number of sporadic outings. Getting to know his fencing rival had been an eye opener. Pieces began to fall into place, meaning he'd come to the scary realisation that Kagami's personality was disturbingly similar to his father's. That dawning had been like an icy bucket of water over his simmering attraction.

Unfortunately, he'd gained Kagami's interest by that point and dissuading her against a possible relationship had been challenging. If there was one thing Adrien had learned well it was his indifference to girls only seemed to make them keener for his attention. It really sucked. Chloe was a prime example. Heck, there were smatterings of his fangirls within this very crowd. Each one sitting in wait for a chance to nab his attention, or his underwear. His expression soured at the thought. And not one of those girls seemed to get the hint when he threw them unimpressed glares.

Adrien's drifting mind was returned to his current situation as Kagami stomped on the toe of his shoe. "Agreste, focus."

"Right, sorry," he said with a wince while refraining from rubbing his now aching foot.

"That jerk is still looking over here and you're off with the fairies."

"It's been a long day," he sighed. "What can I do?"

A wicked glint shone in Kagami's eyes and suddenly Adrien was afraid. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me, it'll throw him off."

She couldn't be serious, could she? While the idea was just starting to permeate Adrien's brain, Kagami placed her hands on his cheeks and he knew there was no escape. He should have been thrilled, Kagami was very pretty. Those brown eyes narrowed in annoyance at his hesitation, her fingertips digging into his cheeks as she drew his face down to align with hers.

Resigning himself to the fact that this was going to happen, Adrien decided to improvise. Because when it came down to it, he did like dark-haired beauties with a feisty streak. All he needed to do was envision his masked partner as the girl standing opposite and he fell into character, appearing enamoured with Kagami. Closing his eyes, Adrien delved into the fantasy and kissed with an ardour he'd reserved for Ladybug.

Kagami melted against him, her fingers skimming up and into his hair. Apparently, she liked what he was doing. Adrien placed his hands on Kagami's hips and eased her away. Their parting would appear natural to anyone watching, yet Adrien wanted to wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. It should have been Ladybug pressed against him like that. Or so he wished. His lady was still adamant about remaining professional.

Kagami had a dreamy look on her face as she gazed up at him and Adrien had to wonder how much of this was fiction on her part. "Did it work?"

"Huh?" she asked dumbly.

"The kiss, did it work? Did it put off your unwanted admirer?"

Dark eyelashes fanned as Kagami blinked back to reality and peered around Adrien's side. "He looks seriously ticked off. I think we should do it again."

Adrien frowned. "Um, no. I need a drink."

"Alright then, let's head to the bar." And with that Kagami looped her arm through his and they made their way through the throng of people.

Being taller than his companion, Adrien peered about with ease over the heads of others in search of his friends. He stopped dead as he spotted Marinette and Luka on the dancefloor, making out. There was a sudden pang in his chest and a deep-seated feeling of annoyance, yet he couldn't understand why. He liked both Marinette and Luka, seeing them together should have been a good thing but Adrien had an almost overwhelming need to storm over there and reef them apart.

Kagami tugged on his arm, forcing him back into motion. Mentally shaking himself, Adrien allowed his companion to lead him to the bar where he ordered a G&T. He barely took any notice of what Kagami ordered but paid regardless. For a while they mingled amongst the crowd, chatting to various friends. Yet his mind continued to linger on the unexpected emotions swirling within him.

With his mind churning, Adrien couldn't help but glance in the direction of the dancefloor. The uneasy feeling lessened as he watched Marinette and Luka depart from the mass of bopping bodies, but it resurged as they retreated to a booth. His vibrant green gaze continued to wander across to the pair and his nose wrinkled when Luka draped his arm around Marinette's shoulders. They chatted and laughed while Adrien fidgeted and tried to appear interested in the conversation between Kagami, Alix and Rose.

When Alya plopped down in the seat opposite her best friend, Adrien decided to make a move. As he neared he caught snippets of their conversation.

Luka wore a cheeky grin as he gazed at Marinette in amazement. "You can't be serious."

"Dead serious," she chuckled as she lifted her glass to sip.

Adrien leaned an arm on the edge of the booth. "What's dead serious?"

Marinette stared up at him in surprise. "The time my boss at _Gabriel_ requested that I buy a clown wig for Chloe to wear for the summer line preview launch."

Luka shook his head. "It had to be a joke, right?"

"Nope, the dude was serious." Adrien confirmed.

Marinette eyed the model awkwardly while attempting to conceal her amusement. But the mirth in her eyes couldn't be disguised. "This guy hates Chloe with a passion and wanted to make her look like an idiot."

"She already is an idiot," Alya grinned then looked sheepishly to Adrien. "Sorry but it's true." Turning back to the others, she continued, "Did you hear she's starring in her own reality show called _The Decadent Search for Mr Right_ or some such nonsense. A bunch of pretty yet clueless rich guys will try to woo her. I swear they will all run away screaming before the show has even come close to wrapping up."

"I bet we could start a drinking game for each time she says 'I'm calling Daddy!' throughout the show." Marinette laughed.

"Or 'Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous' would be a high contender too." Alya added.

Adrien decided it was best not to comment. He didn't like that they were dissing Chloe, yet he understood their reasons. She wasn't the nicest person.

Luka chucked, "She really is a piece of work. I remember when she made Juleka cry over your school photos."

Marinette looked lost in thought. Adrien could only assume she was recalling the whole Reflekta debacle. "Chloe has been the cause of a lot of akumas."

"Like you haven't," Alya teased.

"Hey! I have not."

Adrien couldn't help chuckling, and that's when Kagami returned to his side and threaded her arm through his. The moment Marinette's eyes zeroed in on the contact he wanted to shake himself free.

"What's this talk of akumas?"

All three occupants of the table turned to regard Kagami. Alya adjusted her glasses as her eyes coolly assessed the other girl. "I was just teasing Marinette about how many akumas she's caused."

"No, we were discussing how many akumas Chloe caused and you just had to go and drag me into the equation." Marinette pointed out.

Kagami's laugh sounded a little forced, and Adrien winced as she elbowed his side. "This one has caused a few akumas of his own. Mine included."

Unfortunately, there was truth in what she said. Adrien bit his bottom lip and rubbed his nape. He wasn't comfortable being put under the spotlight in such a way. His green eyes narrowed on Kagami. "How was that my fault? I tried to offer you a decisive match, instead you ran off like a sore loser."

They all gasped and turned to look at Kagami. The elite fencer eyed him with aloof appraisal. "I can and will wipe the floor with you, Agreste. Besides, if I want to make things really easy all I have to do is mention Ladybug."

"What?! Why would you think that?"

"Because it distracts you every single time." Kagami's smirk grew smarmy. "Is there something you want to share with us?"

The model's cheeks flamed. "No, I just have a deep admiration for her."

"I bet," Kagami said with a knowing leer.

"Ladybug is pretty awesome," Luka said as he eyed Marinette. "Although I know another girl who's pretty amazing under pressure. That time my Mum was akumatised, you were the one to save us."

"Wait," Adrien said with a confused look. "Ladybug and Chat Noir rescued you guys."

Luka shook his head. "Marinette was the one to raise the alarm and notify Ladybug." His gaze returned to the girl at his side.

Shock had Adrien flabbergasted. "I-I didn't know that."

"Brave and beautiful." Luka added as he raised his glass in appreciation to Marinette.

"I'll second that," Alya beamed as she raised her own glass.

Kagami raised her drink and Adrien followed suit automatically. But there was something very wrong with this situation. The model's grip on his glass was overly tight, his jaw was clenched and he desperately wanted Luka to stop looking at Marinette like she was a goddess. Before he could stop himself, Adrien's gaze landed on the pair and he asked, "Are you guys a couple?"

Marinette glanced to Luka who looked thrilled by the idea. "Hopefully. Marinette, you want to be my girl?"

"Maybe, you want to be my guy?" she sassed back.

"Undoubtedly." Luka grinned, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her lips.

"Sealed with a kiss," Alya laughed, eyeing Adrien in a way that made his skin crawl. "Now it's truly official."

An undeniable tremor of fury zipped through the model, shocking him to his very core. Yet Adrien didn't understand his reaction at all. What was wrong with him?

* * *

**Poor Adrien, an unconscious part of him understands that the girl he wants is drifting away yet he is also clueless... at least for the moment.**

**Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting - your support is much appreciated :)**


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

The soft press of Marinette's lips was allurement embodied. With eyes closed, Luka's world shrank down to just him and his newly minted girlfriend. The wait had been long but it was worth it. His own lips pulled into a smile as he sat back to admire Marinette's striking features which never failed to dazzle him. The starry-eyed gaze he received in return had his pulse racing faster. Marinette was finally seeing him the way he'd yearned for.

There had been past indicators conveying Marinette's attraction to him, from shared heated glances to furtive blushes, yet her head always turned away when Adrien was near. It was awfully frustrating when it was clear that Adrien had no clue to Marinette's feelings, nor did he seem to reciprocate them. Luka was too polite to say anything outright besides it was to his own benefit to leave it alone.

He hadn't been blind to her earlier admiration of the blonde. Marinette's gaze had strayed to Adrien for most of their set. Luka had watched as the burning hope in her expression had dimmed to accepting sadness. Hopelessness had etched its way across her lovely face, but then she'd looked at him.

It was a turning point he couldn't ignore. Luka had understood the gravity of the situation. His chance had finally come. The emotions he'd buried deep down were allowed to surface and he conveyed them in his performance. His own gaze had remained locked on hers as his hands strummed and caressed his guitar like a lover. The blatant flirting had been a complete success. Marinette had been his captive audience of one, so transfixed with a yearning need which hadn't departed when he's crossed the floor to be with her.

Even now after copious amounts of kissing and her agreeance to be his girlfriend Luka was still stunned. The surreal elation of having Marinette's side pressed to his was almost overwhelming. Fantasy had become reality and he couldn't withhold the smirk on his face.

Luka knew he shouldn't be smug but there was something deeply satisfying in witnessing the perturbed look on Adrien's face when he realised he'd lost something he never knew he had. Yet it was obvious that the model still hadn't grasped why the situation bugged him so. In his mind Marinette was only a friend. It was almost like Adrien was unable to fathom Marinette's behaviour towards him as beyond platonic. But it was his loss, Luka's patience had paid off.

From the moment Marinette stepped into his life, Luka had known she was special. Even if he had blundered their initial meeting by inadvertently insulting her. He hadn't meant to, he'd thought her stuttering cute. But as usual he'd made a mockery of the situation. Music was so much easier than conversing with words.

Being on stage had been to his advantage. If there was one thing Luka had learned as a musician, it was the rock star phenomenon of being desirable while performing. Perhaps it was the sense of unobtainability that drove girls wild, but for some reason chicks craved the attention of musicians. It probably came down to the ideal of being serenaded, and Luka had been doing just that with his guitar as he'd admired his dark-haired crush, hoping she'd look his way.

While he would have loved to have sung about his feelings, Luka didn't have the vocal talent. Singing was left up to Rose. Not that she was brilliant, but the tiny blonde was a lot of fun. She'd often bump his hip mid song, beaming at him with a wide grin while staring up at him with those big blue eyes. If he didn't know better he would have sworn the girl was infatuated with him. However, Rose had been in a relationship with his sister Juleka for years. Prior to that they were best friends. He couldn't imagine them ever breaking up, they seemed like two pieces of a puzzle. Although they had been arguing quite a bit lately. He supposed it was the stress of finding work.

Juleka was happy as a barista in a funky café that had a punk edginess to it that suited his sister down to the ground. It wasn't the best paying job but it was constant work where she was frequently behind the large coffee machine, meaning she didn't have to interact with people too much.

Rose believed that Juleka had the potential to do something more remarkable and continued to tell her partner as much. Hence the arguing. While Rose was a free spirit, she was also ambitious and wanted the best that life could offer. Juleka on the other hand was happy going with the flow and living on the downlow.

Even on stage the tension between the two girls had been visible. For most of the performance Juleka's eyes were narrowed, her black lipstick pulled into a tight line as she refused to look at her lover. Rose had lifted her chin high in the air and acted as if nothing was wrong. He seriously hoped they worked out their problems soon.

Curling his arm tighter around Marinette, Luka peered over the back of the booth and flinched as he saw Rose pointing an accusatory finger at Juleka. "Not again."

"What is it?" Marinette asked as she turned to stare.

"Rose and Juleka are bickering."

"Trouble in paradise?" Alya asked as she leaned forward to look.

"Yeah," Luka answered as he turned back to watch the couple. "I'm not sure what's going on with them. Up until now, they've been so happy."

Kagami's severe voice cut in. "High school romances rarely last."

"Are you kidding?" Alya snapped, "I'm still very much in love with Nino."

"Then you are the exception to the rule. Going by their body language, there are secrets they're hiding from one another."

Luka frowned, "How do you figure that?"

"Look at the way they're standing, partly facing each other but with arms crossed. Eye contact is infrequent and hints at guilt."

Marinette shook her head. "I disagree. They're both angry and being defensive. It doesn't mean they're holding out on each other."

"I suspect one of them at least has an interest in someone else. They seem fed up with each other."

Annoyance had Marinette glaring at Kagami. "You're wrong, neither of them would cheat."

"I didn't say they were cheating, just interested in other prospects. It's natural to wonder when you're not happy."

Adrien looked disgusted. "When you commit to someone you stay committed until it's over."

Kagami shrugged. "I suppose."

Alya snorted while eyeing Kagami in disgust. "Pity the poor guy who dates you."

They all glanced at Adrien who leaned away with a look of denial. That had Luka raising an eyebrow. It was obvious Kagami was trying to stake her claim. Her body language alone screamed her possessiveness. No wonder Marinette looked so depressed. Glancing at her, he realised she'd concluded that nothing was ever going to happen with Adrien. While it stung to know he was possibly second choice, Luka decided not to think too hard on it.

But his thoughts were cut short by a frustrated screech from Rose. The tiny woman curled her fists and stomped away from Juleka. "You keep this up and you'll lose me!" she yelled.

"You're the one who keeps treating me like a loser, maybe I'll be the one to walk away from this relationship!" Juleka snapped in return, glaring as Rose huffed, spun on her heel and disappeared into the stunned crowd.

Luka rose from his seat. "Not good," he said shaking his head, "I'll check on Juleka."

Marinette nodded in understanding, "I'll go after Rose."

Kagami crossed her arms and stated drolly, "As I said, it's doubtful they're going to be an exception from the rule."

With a curl of his lip, Luka sneered at Kagami as he slid passed her. It didn't escape him that Adrien had untangled himself from her hold and was looking equally aggravated at his companion's remark.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter took a while to do, I found writing from Luka's POV rather challenging for some reason. **

**Next chapter we will see what the superhero duo are up to. Thanks for reading and supporting. Give the review box some love, it likes being talked to - cheers :)**


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

The evening had not turned out as Marinette expected, because she'd parted ways with Luka for a significant amount of time to help smooth the waters between his sister and her lover. After chasing down Rose, Marinette had learned that the long-term couple were going through a serious rough patch. The decision to move out of home and live together had come with a financial burden which Rose was freaking out about while Juleka merely shrugged it off and said things would work themselves out.

Rose was working two part-time jobs to help keep them afloat while Juleka only worked one job while volunteering at a shelter for women escaping domestic violence. Rose could understand and empathise as to why Juleka wanted to do so, but they were already starting to feel the heat of piling up costs which they never seemed to get on top of. The petite blonde mentioned how Juleka had suggested that they could simply move into the houseboat with her mother, but Rose had wanted space so they could be a couple.

The conversation had gone long into the night and so Marinette had missed spending further time with Luka. As disappointing as it had been, the musician thanked her for spending the time with Rose while he'd tried to talk some sense into his sister. Apparently Juleka's story had differed somewhat from Rose's, claiming the reason why they were so hard up financially was because Rose kept spending their money on frivolous things.

Marinette was exhausted by the time she and Alya returned home. The pair had been roommates for the last year and they too had had some teething problems when working out their finances. Although Marinette's larger concerns had laid elsewhere. The decision to live with the notorious Ladyblogger when she herself was Ladybug was an area of secret contention. Thankfully both were often busy with work or study so that neither paid much mind to the absence of the other. Particularly since Nino had proposed to Alya. Most of the time the couple were inseparable, meaning Alya lived partly at his place.

Tonight though, Alya was staying in as Nino needed to finish his shift DJing. The bespectacled girl shook her head and finger-combed the knots from her tresses. "Oh my God, so much drama. And I thought Rose and Juleka were rock solid."

"Tell me about it," Marinette sighed as she placed her handbag on the sideboard.

A teasing glint entered Alya's eyes. "Although the night wasn't a total downer. You and Luka, now that is a fine thing to happen."

"Yeah," Marinette said, grinning as she dropped her head shyly. But her phone pinged as the subject of their musings reached out to her.

"Is that him?" Alya smirked as she peered over roommate's shoulder.

Marinette didn't bother answering, instead she unlocked her phone and they both read the message: **Thanks for an awesome night and for being there for the girls. Want to meet up for breakfast? We didn't really get much of a chance to talk.**

Alya let out a squeal. "He's so into you! You've got to say yes."

With her lips pressed together in amusement, Marinette wrote back. **I'd love to meet you for breakfast. But let's not make it too early.**

From there the two nutted out where to meet and when while Alya bounced around with excitement. "This is so amazing. You deserve this, girl. It's about time a guy realised how awesome you are."

Marinette knew what her best friend was really saying. It was about time she moved on from mooning over Adrien. Sure, she'd had a few dates here and there with other guys but nothing serious ever eventuated because she was still fixated with the model. Doom was almost imminent if they ever met Adrien and noticed the way Marinette looked at him. It was game over from the moment they saw her reaction.

Yet it was somehow different with Luka. Alya had been there when Marinette had first laid eyes on the musician, witnessing the strong chemistry between them. But Marinette had inadvertently blocked Luka from making a move when he too saw how she responded to Adrien. But that had been a long time ago and Marinette hoped he wasn't as keenly attuned to her illogical emotions when it came to her crush. A flash of Adrien and Kagami kissing quickly squashed the residual feelings Marinette had for Adrien. It was time to move on and for once she was excited about the prospect of being with someone other than Adrien.

* * *

The morning was cool, and the air laced with misty rain as Marinette left the apartment. She opened her large black umbrella and refused to reminisce about who it originally belonged to or why she still had it. Instead she walked with new purpose as she headed to the café Luka had suggested the night before.

Pulling her pink scarf higher around her face, Marinette slid her free hand into her woollen jacket pocket. While hoping the beige coat didn't look too plain with her skinny jeans and ankle boots. It had been wash-day, so her choice of clothing had been limited. As usual, she was unable to enhance her appearance with glitzy earring because she needed to wear her miraculous. Tikki was settled within her purse, snuggly wrapped up in her own little blanket Marinette had knitted.

It had only been a few days since Hawkmoth's last attack, so the chances of having her date interrupted were low. In the past, the villain had been the chaotic catalyst when it came to her ability to date. Often causing her to stand up the poor guy she was meant to meet, therefore ending things before they even had a chance to begin.

Inhaling deeply, Marinette decided that this time she was going to put in more effort. That she would make this work. Luka was a wonderful guy and one that she was excited to date. As if to cement this thought, Marinette turned the corner and found Luka waiting outside the café for her. Leaning against the brickwork, he had one knee lifted as his black-booted foot rested against the wall. His head turned with a flick of dark hair as his electric blue eyes zeroed in on hers. But it was his smile that sent her heart racing. It was the flirty kind of smirk she was well accustomed to from Chat Noir, yet it had remarkably more affect on her coming from Luka.

Pushing off the wall, Luka angled himself to face her directly. The broad expanse of his shoulders drew her gaze and she had to tilt her head to meet his eye. There was something utterly attractive about his greater height.

"Good morning, Marinette."

And the rumble of his voice was just as delicious. Marinette returned his greeting in a breathy tone that was far too revealing of her current enthralled state. Luka's smile widened to flash his teeth as he placed his hand at her back and guided her inside.

From there they were ushered to their table, one that Luka had booked online, and the pair sat to order. Nervous energy rolled over Marinette as she looked between the menu and Luka. In turn she noticed his knee bouncing as well.

"Nervous?" she giggled.

"Totally. It's been forever since I've been on a first date."

"Me too. Although we've known each other for years, I'm not sure why I feel like this."

Luka considered her for a moment. "Perhaps it's because we've only ever been together as friends in the past. This changes things."

Marinette nodded. "That's true." Her eyes darted to the menu as she built up the courage to admit, "But I've always been attracted to you."

The menu slipped from Luka's fingers. "You have?"

A subtle blush dusted Marinette's cheeks. "Yeah. It was why I stuttered so much the first time we met."

His eyes widened. "No way."

"Yes way," she said with a coy smile.

"Wow, I had no idea. For a while there I thought I was the only one feeling the attraction."

Dipping her head, Marinette felt a mix of emotions. She knew the reason for Luka's confusion and tried to ignore the bite of disappointment as Adrien entered her mind. "I was a little stuck on someone else."

"Adrien," he said without hesitation.

"It was that obvious?"

"Yeah. The ice-skating date kind of gave it away. I was really hoping that you'd just wanted to spend time with me."

"Well I did, but…"

"You'd already committed to go with Adrien as his wingman. Or should I say wingwoman?"

"Either or. Doesn't really matter."

"Well you were successful, even if it took a while."

Marinette's brow crinkled in confusion. "How do you mean?"

"Adrien and Kagami are finally an item, or so it appears."

"Yeah," she said with a wistful sigh. "I don't know what's going on there and I'm over trying to work it out."

"So, you've moved on from Adrien Agreste?"

With a smile that she had to encourage with only a smidgen of force, Marinette replied, "Yes. Yes, I have."

* * *

**My apologies for taking so long to update this story. This chapter was a bit of a struggle because I was going to jump ahead but changed my mind. I hope you enjoy!**

**As always, thanks for reading and please give the review box some love! **


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

**_Five weeks later..._**

One might assume that modelling was something of a cruisy job. Anyone who thought as much would be wrong. While holding a pose wasn't necessarily a skillset to be considered hard, it was the period of time said model had to hold the pose while being blinded and roasted under optimal lighting which really made it difficult. Then there was all the fussing over hair, makeup and the clothing being displayed.

Adrien was tempted to run a frustrated hand through his own hair except it was too much bother to do so. For one, he'd be scolded for messing up the artwork currently styled. Secondly, was the fact that it was plied with so much hairspray and gel that his hair's consistency matched that of boiled candy. The desire to shower and wash it all away was almost overwhelming. However, the option to do so was out of the question.

Posing for the final shots, the model was glad that he didn't need to smile. Instead they simply wanted him looking intense and mysterious. Adrien suspected his expression matched his mood, bored. Regardless, the photographer seemed happy with what he was doing and wrapped up the day's shoot.

With that out of the way, Adrien was ushered back to the change rooms to disrobe and put on his regular clothes. Having done this for most of his life, the blonde was far from shy and wasn't particularly fussed that Nathalie walked into the room when he was bare chested. The woman might as well have been an android as she showed as much emotion as a machine.

"Due to the lateness of today's shoot, your father has organised dinner at the mansion."

Adrien nodded in acknowledgement as he pulled his t-shirt over his head. "I could have got something at home."

"Mr Agreste wanted to ensure that you're consuming a balanced diet." Nathalie stated as she adjusted her glasses with a single finger.

"I can assure you, since moving into my own place I'm not living on take out. Nor have I put on any weight," Adrien smirked as he patted his toned belly. "Although I may have added some additional muscle tone." It was one of the perks of being Chat Noir, regular exercise and the physique of a superhero. Well, a lanky well-defined superhero. Not that he could tell Nathalie as much.

Besides, Adrien thought it more likely he'd die from overexposure to hairspray fumes than high cholesterol. But he didn't mention it. Nathalie's sense of humour was well repressed. It had to be, his father was certainly lacking one and wouldn't appreciate such from his assistant. It was a miracle that she hadn't looked for employment elsewhere.

While he longed to return to his own personal space at the apartment he'd recently purchased, Adrien resigned himself to the fate of returning to his childhood home. He was tired and didn't want to deal with the potential fallout when Gabriel threw a tantrum.

"Your meal can be brought to your room, if you prefer."

"Thanks, Nathalie. That would be great." So, he was eating alone. As usual. Shock horror.

Slipping on his denim jacket, one Marinette had made for him a few birthdays ago, Adrien followed Nathalie to the waiting sedan and slid into the backseat when his bodyguard opened the door. With his seatbelt in place, the model laid back his head and exhaled heavily.

The ride was short, yet Adrien felt a sense of trepidation as the car drove through the massive gates leading to the Agreste mansion. Adrien was hopeful that he wouldn't run into his father, he really didn't feel like another lecture on how he should be living his life, etc, etc. The man would have an aneurism if he knew what extracurricular activities his son participated in.

Thankfully, there was no run-in with the senior Agreste. Adrien strode into his bedroom, where his meal awaited under a silver cloche, and plopped himself down on his white leather sofa. There he mindlessly devoured the gourmet meal before him. If anyone had asked him what he'd eaten, he really would have been in a quandary to answer.

With that task out of the way, Adrien dragged his tired carcass to the one place he'd been longing for, his shower. He'd just shucked the jacket when his phone began ringing. "Go away," he muttered to himself as he moved to undo his belt.

Plagg floated through the door, carrying the phone. "It's your girlfriend."

"I don't have a girlfriend, Plagg."

"Tell Kagami that."

"She knows."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I'm just helping her out."

"For five weeks? That seems a little excessive."

Adrien groaned. Had it really been that long? He automatically raised his hand to rake through his hair and winced as it caught and stuck. With a growl he yanked his fingers free. "Let it go to voicemail."

No sooner had he spoken the words than the phone stopped ringing. Instead it pinged with a text message. Plagg read it out. "Adrien, call me. ASAP."

"I'm having a shower first."

"Fair enough. Your hair looks like plastic again. I could cataclysm it. No hair, no problem."

"Thanks, but no thanks, Plagg."

The black kwami merely shrugged. "Just saying, it would make your life easier."

"Except for when my father explodes."

"Meh, it's your hair."

"You tell him that."

But Plagg was already gone.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and Adrien had managed to restore his hair to some of its former untouched glory. At least it moved when he did, unlike before when it sat frozen as if made from fine wire. As he was towelling himself dry there was another ping on his phone. However, the tone was completely different to his earlier message and this one made his heartrate spike.

"Akuma alert," he muttered to himself as he quickly tossed on clean clothes and raced into his bedroom.

Plagg had the TV on which displayed the latest chaos. Adrien dropped heavily to sit on the sofa as he laced up his shoes. "I think I know where that is."

The cat kwami crossed his arms. "Good, I have no clue. There's no cheese shops in sight."

Adrien snorted in amusement as he finished with his shoes and stood. "Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

Despite the long day in front the camera and the weariness which resulted from it, no one would have had a clue that Chat Noir was tired. That state of being was temporarily put on hiatus due to adrenaline as he raced across the rooftops with impressive speed. He'd once been told that all emergency response personnel felt the same rush when called into action. Having only ever been in such situations as a superhero, Chat Noir could only assume the theory was correct.

Feline eyes scanned the horizon for the tell-tale chaos from an akuma. Meaning something weird and out of place. With the sun almost gone, the most obvious oddity was the flashing beams of bright light to the north of his position. It matched up to the description of the akuma from the TV reports. To quicken his travel, Chat Noir shifted to pole vaulting and in no time he reached the scene of pandemonium.

Ladybug was already there, busily racing about and deflecting beams of light shot her way. Her facial expression was hard, with jaw clenched in what appeared to be anger. An anger so concentrated that Chat Noir baulked as he stared at his partner. Was it the akuma causing such a response in his partner? Or was there something personal in this for Ladybug? Not that she'd ever tell him.

Extending his baton to staff length, Chat Noir quickly assessed the situation and moved in. From the TV newsflash he'd caught before leaving home, Chat Noir knew this akuma's name was Dark Eradicator. There was some talk of him being a literal walking flashlight, with the ability to shoot laser beams which turned people into glowing orbs of light. Whether or not this change made them an additional threat was yet to be ascertained. But Chat Noir wasn't taking any chances.

While Ladybug held the attention of the akuma, Chat Noir opted for stealth. Being clad in black meant the hero held an immediate advantage with the coming of night. He blended into the darkness far better than his partner.

Ladybug ducked and rolled away from another blast fired from the akuma's gauntlet. Meaning that the akuma turned to track her and caught sight of Chat Noir. With a hiss of annoyance, Chat dropped and rolled. But as he rose to his feet, Dark Eradicator began shooting beams at him in a quick succession.

Springing from building to building, Chat Noir managed to avoid the barrage but lost his footing. As he dropped, he prepared to extend his baton but the fall was short and he was caught by the arms of his lithe partner.

"Hi milady," he grinned.

An eyeroll was his return greeting as she set him back on his feet. "Let's get this over with."

Her terse response surprised him. "In a hurry to get somewhere?"

"Yes I am." She replied as she returned her yoyo into a spinning shield.

Chat Noir laid a hand over his heart. "And here I was hoping you'd sweep me off my feet."

Ladybug eyed him and growled. "If you must know, I was on a date and I'd like to get back to him ASAP."

"Date?" All playfulness was obliterated from Chat Noir. This was the first time he'd been aware that she was dating someone. Normally Ladybug was open with him on such things, knowing that he still carried a torch for her. But this, this was enough to stagger him.

"Don't look so shocked. I was bound to get a boyfriend eventually."

"Boyfriend?" Chat Noir practically spat the word as his hackles rose. This was worse than just a date. Bristling, he found himself exclaiming, "That was a particular title I was hoping to claim."

Ladybug's annoyance was clear. "We don't have time for this conversation, Chat."

And he knew further discussion was pointless as she turned her attention back to their foe who was creeping towards them.

"There never is," he snapped as he extended his baton and rushed forward to unleash the sudden burst of aggression coursing through his veins.

With a volley of swift strikes, Chat Noir drove Dark Eradicator back and under a streetlight, rendering his power moot. During his offensive against the akuma, Ladybug had called up her lucky charm, being a compact of blusher. The heroine blew the makeup powder over Dark Eradicator's goggles as Chat Noir evoked his cataclysm and used it on the akuma's gauntlet, rendering the battle over.

With the shimmer of purple magic, the victim was revealed as a preteen boy who blinked in confusion while Ladybug tossed the lucky charm into the air. Miraculous Ladybug restored everything back to normal and there was nothing left by their ritual fist bump.

Chat Noir stood with his arms crossed as he tried to temper the emotional storm raging within him. Ladybug's gaze darted away from his as she neared him for their ritual fist bump. He studied her raised fist and reluctance to meet his eyes. After a brief hesitation he knocked his knuckles to hers and they called "Pound it" together.

Dropping his right hand, Chat Noir needed to calm his inner turmoil and act with maturity. His attention focussed on the boy they'd just rescued. "I'll sort him out. You get back to your boyfriend."

The distaste at that last word was obvious as Ladybug flinched. Then she reached out and gave an appreciative squeeze to her partner's shoulder. "Thanks."

His voice softened as he peered at her fingers curled over his suit. "Don't mention it."

"You're the best, Chat." She smiled, seeming more her usual self as she backed away.

"Then dump him and date me," he could resist calling out as she departed.

Ladybug didn't bother answering. Instead she rushed back from wherever it was from which she came. Leaving Chat Noir to stare after her as he tried to ignore the emotional wound to his heart.

* * *

**Upfront, sorry for any typos or grammatical errors, I was tired while editing so it's likely I've missed something. **

**Next chapter, Luka awaits his girlfriend who has been in the toilet for an awfully long time during their dinner date. How will Marinette explain her prolonged absence and what excuses will she need to generate for future akuma attacks? Good question, I haven't written it yet. **

**Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a review in the box below :)**


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six_

Luka perused the dessert menu for the umpteenth time before peering at the empty seat opposite him. Marinette had been gone for a long while. His blue eyes darted to the adjacent corner where the corridor to the toilets was hidden, but still his girlfriend didn't appear. Concern had him lowering his menu. Had she eaten something that hadn't agreed? Should he meander over and check she was okay? Not that he could go into the ladies bathroom, which was the only reason why he didn't get up from his seat.

Instead he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time. Marinette had been gone for over 20 minutes. Anxiety coiled in his belly. Was she having second thoughts about their relationship? He hadn't made any fast moves. If anything, his mind had often been preoccupied with his troubled sister.

Juleka and Rose's relationship status was still on tender hooks, and the few times he'd talked with his sister he'd gotten the impression that she was ready to cut ties. But it would be a difficult decision. The girls had been best friends first and foremost. To end their relationship would not only mean goodbye to their lover but also their closest confidant.

With that depressing thought, Luka opened his messages and reread his last thread with Juleka. But his contemplation of the situation was averted by a loud growl from a few tables over. A young woman of Asian descent with a bob haircut was glaring at a man standing at her table. Luka couldn't see the guy's face because his back was turned in his direction.

After a moment, Luka recognised the woman. It was Kagami. Her lips were pulled back in what appeared to be a snarl. With her voice low, he couldn't hear her words but could tell that whatever she was saying was of a fierce nature. Yet by the man's body language, he wasn't fazed by her aggression.

Kagami gestured to the seat opposite and then to her phone. Her voice now loud enough for Luka to hear what she was saying, "My boyfriend, _Adrien_, is on his way. How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not interested!"

A throaty chuckle sounded from the man. "Your mouth says one thing, Kagami. But your eyes say another."

"My eyes agree with the rest of me, now get lost!"

The man merely shook his head, his brown shaggy hair jiggling with the move. "I infuriate you but that's pure chemistry. You need someone to challenge you, Kagami, and I do so enjoy a challenge."

Kagami shot to her feet, pointing to the door. "I said leave!"

Raising his hands in surrender, the man took a step back. "Okay, I'm going. But before I do, I'd like to point out a guy who's really into a girl wouldn't leave her hanging. Your _boyfriend_ can't be too serious if he's almost half an hour late."

"Adrien is a busy man with a parent who demands a lot of him. On that we are kindred spirits, meaning I understand him and he understands me. Now go!"

Placing his hands in his pockets, the man retreated towards the exit yet his gaze remained on Kagami as he left. Still Luka was unable to see his face clearly. Instead he rose and went to see Kagami.

"Are you alright?"

The petite woman looked up in surprise, placing her hand on her chest as if relieved to see who it was. "Luka, I'm okay now. That guy is relentless."

"Who is he?"

Letting out a sigh, Kagami toyed with the edge of her napkin. "It's not important. He believes himself in love with me and won't take the hint that the feeling isn't mutual."

Narrowing his blue eyes, Luka looked to the empty seat opposite. "So Adrien was meant to be here with you?"

Kagami shook her head. "No, it was meant to be my mother. But she was feeling ill, so declined at the last moment. I was hoping Adrien would meet me here instead, as I saw my unwanted admirer earlier. The stupid moron tried to get a table here but thankfully they weren't able to offer him one until much later tonight."

"Do you want to join with me and Marinette?"

Brown eyes darted to the empty table he'd moved from, taking in the opened bottle of wine on the table and the single red rose lying beside Marinette's discarded napkin. "No, I'm fine. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Okay but if you change your mind…"

"I won't. Eating alone doesn't bother me. Besides, Adrien might show up."

Luka gave her a gentle smile. "Alright, we'll be over here if you need us."

Kagami gave an absent nod as she lifted her menu, indicating the discussion was over.

No sooner had Luka returned to his chair, when Marinette raced back to her seat. "I'm so sorry I was gone for so long."

There was a slight sheen of sweat on her brow, partially obscured by her dark fringe. Plus Marinette's cheeks were flushed as if she'd exerted a lot of energy, but in doing what? Puzzlement had Luka's eyebrows arrowing up. Then it dawned on him. Leaning forward, he whispered, "Did you get food poisoning?"

Blue eyes widened, then darted back and forth as Marinette began to wring the cloth napkin in her hands. "Er, um…"

"It's okay. If you did we should tell the waiter."

"NO!" Marinette shouted then seemed to realise how loud she'd been when a number of heads turned their way. With an awkward smile meant to placate, she turned back to Luka. "It's not that. At least, not from here."

Luka frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I, uh… ate some leftover cheesecake at home this afternoon. It probably should have been tossed out but it was so yummy. I think that upset my stomach." Marinette placed her hand on her belly to emphasise her point. "But I'm feeling much better now."

"Are you sure? I can take you home if you prefer. Honestly, you probably shouldn't have dessert if you have an upset stomach."

Marinette gave the menu a forlorn look. "Um, okay. Maybe we can hang out at my place for a while."

"I'd like that."

Together they shared a warm smile, looking into each other's eyes in combined dreaminess.

Without breaking their gaze, Luka summoned their waiter with a wave and quickly dealt with paying for their meals. Marinette insisted she pay for hers but the musician shook his head. "I've got this."

Minutes later the waiter returned, his lips pressed together in a look of disquiet. "I'm terribly sorry sir, but your card was declined." He leaned close and whispered, "Insufficient funds."

"Damn, I thought we got paid for our last gig. I guess not." Luka fumbled through his wallet, grimacing at his lack of hard currency.

"It's okay," Marinette said with a sympathetic smile. "You can pay next time." With that she handed her card to the waiter while Luka's cheeks bloomed into a deep blush.

"I'm so embarrassed. I was certain the money had come through."

"Don't sweat it. We've all had moments where we're a little short on cash."

Luka nodded but his frown remained. "This was meant to be my treat."

"As I said, you get the next one."

"Alright, but I'll pay you back."

Marinette gave him a brilliant smile that made Luka's heart pound. "I know you will. You're a good guy, Luka."

"Thank you, Marinette, for being so understanding." He reached for her hand. "I swear I'm not a cheapskate."

At that she giggled. "I know. Although I could tease you and say you're living the true life of an everyday musician."

"Fitting the stereotype, hey?"

"Maybe," she grinned.

Standing up, he continued to hold Marinette's hand and led her outside. "Does that mean I'm a kept man?"

"No, we don't live together," she chuckled.

"That we don't. Have you found a roommate to replace Alya?"

The good humour disappeared from Marinette's blue gaze as she looked to the pavement, "Kind of."

"What does that mean?"

The pair continued to walk hand-in-hand, yet Luka felt Marinette's hold grow firmer. "Rose approached me, said she needs some space from Juleka."

That had Luka stopping midstride. "She's moving out?"

Marinette's teeth dug into her bottom lip. "Yeah, apparently."

"Juleka hasn't said anything to me. I wonder if she knows."

"I assumed she did."

Luka sighed and felt the squeeze of Marinette's hand as she laced their fingers tightly together. "Being apart might make them realise what they could potentially lose."

"I suppose so. What's sad is that I don't know if Juleka will be upset or relieved."

There was a flash of Marinette's teeth as she winced. "Yeah, that's got to be hard."

"Should I call her?"

"I don't know. Juleka should know but would the news be better coming from Rose so she can explain herself?"

Luka raked a hand through his hair. "I should talk to her regardless. At least it'll give me an idea if she knows or not."

"Good point." They stopped before Marinette's building, the pair standing idle at the foot of the stairs. "Do you want to hang out for a while first or talk to Juleka?"

"While I'd love to stay, I think I better check on my sister."

Marinette moved in to hug him. "Whatever happens, she'll be okay eventually."

"It just sucks, as her big brother I want to do something to protect her but I can't. It's not like I can go beat up a girl for breaking my sister's heart."

"You would if she were dating a guy?"

"My oath," he sneered.

Marinette shook her head, amusement pulling her grin into a lopsided slope. "Just be there for her."

"Do you think it'll make things awkward if Rose moves in with you?"

His girlfriend shrugged, "Possibly but they're both my friends."

Luka dropped his head, resting his brow against Marinette's. "I wish I could stay with you."

"How about you give me a kiss and we'll put a raincheck on quality time?"

"I can do that," he smirked while cupping her cheek with his free hand. Their lips brushed and a slow gentle kiss quickly worked into something far hotter. Marinette hooked an arm around his neck, her body plastering against his as they drank each other in. Eventually they parted and Luka let out a wistful sigh. "I'll call you."

"Please do," Marinette replied while giving him a final peck on the lips. "Take care."

* * *

**Will trouble between Juleka and Rose cause problems between Marinette and Luka? Who knows, I haven't written the next chapter yet XD**

**Who is Kagami's secret admirer, now that we know he's real, and did Adrien ever turn up for dinner? So many questions. I suppose I'll answer them eventually.**

**Thanks for reading, and please give the review box some love. Cheers :)**

**(FYI... I've been suffering lack of motivation with writing, so I'm considering providing services to proof/play editor to other writers work in the interim - provided I've got the time. If you're interested, let me know via private message.)**


	7. Chapter 7

_Dear reader, I know it has been a long, long, long time between updates on this story. Alas creativity isn't something you can just turn on and off as you please. I know where I want things to go with this story but the writing just wasn't working when I sat down to do it on this one. Hence why it was on the back burner. Now the majority of your are wonderfully supportive but every so often there are reviews that less than pleasant. Please remember that writers on this site are not paid, they are sharing their work with you for free and they deserve to be respected for putting themselves out there not antagonised. Negative comments that are in no way constructive don't promote the need to post more frequently to a writer, support and encouragement does. So before you post your thoughts, think about how you would feel if you were the recipient of them. Your consideration is appreciated._

_Now then, onto the story..._

* * *

_Chapter Seven_

Marinette was deep in thought as she unlocked her door and ambled into her apartment. While Alya had often been absent of late, there was a definite stillness to the place that spoke of emptiness. Shutting the door with a kick of her heel, the girl dropped her bag on the hall table as Tikki emerged.

"That was a close call with Luka."

Scratching the side of her head, Marinette let out a deep sigh. "I left him for nearly half an hour. I was scrabbling for an excuse and was lucky enough to have one drop in my lap, but what am I going to do? This will happen again. It's not like Hawkmoth is going to pack up his bat and ball, conveniently calling it a day when I've got a boyfriend."

"You need a more plausible excuse you can use over and over again."

"But what?" Marinette exclaimed with upturned palms. "I've always struggled with this side of my responsibilities. Leaping into action I don't hesitate with, but it's the return and the excuses that I've always faltered with."

The red kwami tapped her chin as she considered this. "What if you made up a client?"

Confusion had Marinette's nose wrinkling, "A client?"

"Yeah, one that's inspired by akuma attacks and demands your presence so that you can sketch the designs of whatever they want created. It's the perfect excuse to get up and leave in a hurry without arousing suspicion."

"Hmm," Marinette uttered as she paced the floor. "I guess that could work."

But before the pair could go into any further details, the girl's phone began ringing. Digging into her handbag, Marinette pulled her phone free to see Rose's name lit up on her screen before she answered. "Hello."

There was a deep sniffle. "Marinette, I know you had plans tonight but can I come over?"

"Are you alright?"

"Not really. I had another big fight with Juleka. I can't stay here. I need to get out. I know we haven't sorted out the whole rental agreement but is it okay if I crash over there tonight?"

"Of course, do you want me to pick you up?"

"Please," Rose implored, "I'd really appreciate that."

"Okay, I'll be there shortly."

Grabbing her car keys, Marinette raced out to her tiny Fiat and started the engine. It didn't take long to reach Juleka and Rose's place. The latter stood at the curb with a large duffle bag hanging from her shoulder and a dejected look on her face. Marinette had barely stopped the car when Rose opened the passenger door and plopped into the seat beside her. The tiny blonde dabbed at her eyes with a pretty pink handkerchief.

"How are you doing?" Marinette asked although she knew it was a stupid question.

"Awful," Rose answered with a sniff. "I can't believe our relationship has degraded to this. Do you know what our latest fight was about?"

Marinette shook her head as she pulled away from the curb.

"It's all because of money. I know how tight our finances are at the moment and I try my best to stick to our budget but I made one stupid mistake. I was online ordering my favourite brand of makeup, making sure it was on special, and somehow I managed to order 12 waterproof mascaras. I think I must have bumped the 2 key when I pressed down the 1. I didn't notice until after I placed the order and got shipment confirmation. By then it was too late to stop the purchase from processing."

Letting out a huff, Rose continued. "So, I immediately looked into how I could get a refund. But the customer service line told me I'd have to return the mascaras before I could get reimbursed. To make things worse, our major monthly direct debts came out of our account that same week and because there was not enough money to take we've been slammed with a heap of dishonour fees we can't afford."

"Damn," Marinette said with a sympathetic shake of her head.

"Oh, it gets worse," Rose told as she dropped her head in defeat. "In order to try and fix my mistake I decided to withhold the money the band was paid for our last gig to the others. Just for a couple of days. See, one of the bills we needed to pay was for electricity and we were already on a payment plan. Ivan rang up chasing his cut of the money because he needed it to purchase something special for Mylene's birthday. But he couldn't get a hold of me, so he rang Juleka."

"Ah," Marinette said with a wince, also realising why Luka's own visa card had been declined. He hadn't been paid either.

"As you can imagine, Juleka hit the roof. I tried to explain things but it blew up into a full out screaming match. She even smashed one of my favourite bottles of perfume, stomping it under her boot and telling me what a waste of money all my supposed crap is. I was so upset that I told her that maybe it was time I cut loose and explored my options."

"Oh my gosh, what did she say to that?" Marinette asked as she turned a corner.

"She sneered at me and spat back that she'd been eyeing off a particularly cute customer at her work." Rose wiped away the tears flowing down her cheeks. "I was so hurt but I guess I deserved it. Yet I couldn't leave it alone. I threw back that I wanted to experience what it's like to be with a man and that I would regret it if I never explored both sides of my bisexuality. To make things worse, I told her that it could never happen while I was with her."

"Ouch."

Rose nodded. "At that point, Juleka told me to piss off and do whatever I freaking wanted to. So, I packed a bag and then I called you. I didn't know what else to do."

Marinette reached across to give Rose's hand a quick squeeze. "Sounds to me like both of you need some time to cool off and think. Maybe you could suggest going to counselling."

"Again, that costs money." The petite blonde added.

"Isn't there any volunteer organisations you could reach out to?"

"I really don't know. Juleka's the one who devotes her time to such charities. I tend to dish out favours to those around me instead. Besides I'm not sure there's anything left to save. Our relationship has been falling apart for quite some time now. I mean we're high school sweethearts, the odds are against us staying together and to be honest I wasn't lying about wanting to experience more. As much as I love Juleka, I don't think I'm in love with her anymore."

Marinette's mind flew to Adrien at that statement. Of how it was to come to the realisation that sometimes what you wanted wasn't necessarily what you needed. Or what you could actually have. Maybe fate wasn't written in the stars, it was simply a game of chance. What you got was what you put in. Yet the romantic in her couldn't quite let go of her inner hope.

As she pulled up the car at her apartment block, Marinette turned to Rose. "While it might not feel like it now, things always tend to work out for the best even if you can't see it yet."

"Thanks Marinette," she said, taking her hand in return. "You're a true friend."

* * *

**In future I'm thinking of upping the rating to M due to the themes that are going to come up in later chapters. Just thought I'd give you a heads up. This is going to get complicated and messy, hence why I need to focus on the details to get this story just right. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

_Apologies for yet another big gap between posts on this story. I'll try and get the next one up sooner rather than later. It will just depend on how creative my brain is feeling ;)_

_Also I've upped the rating to M for future chapters. _

* * *

_Chapter Eight_

With the akuma fight dealt with, Chat Noir had nothing left to do but go home. Yet his brain felt completely fried. Ladybug had a boyfriend. A freaking boyfriend! When did that happen? Why hadn't she mentioned something sooner? Why hadn't she chosen him?

On that last depressing thought, Chat Noir stopped his automated dash across the rooftops and sighed. His shoulders slumped and his head drooped. Cat ears flicked backward as his tail slashed in agitation. The underlying question which ate at him the most was: why couldn't Ladybug see what so many fangirls could? And he didn't just mean the ones chasing after his alter ego. Chat Noir had a fair following of the opposite sex too.

What was he lacking that this new _boyfriend_ had? A tormented growl forced itself through his clenched teeth and the need to punch something became overwhelming. But Chat didn't act on it. Being transformed meant his normal strength was amplified and he didn't have his partner nearby to rectify any damage he might cause.

Raking a hand through his wild blonde locks, Chat Noir began moving again. The warning beep of his miraculous had him increasing his pace. He needed to get back to the mansion, so then he could go home. It was an annoying detour but one he had to make in order to keep his identity secret. Man, he wished his father would just let him be. If his life were different and he didn't have to commit to stay in Paris for his superhero duties, he was pretty certain he would have opted to study abroad. But knowing his luck, Gabriel would have probably packed up his fortune and moved too.

As Chat Noir neared the Agreste mansion, he opted to enter via the ensuite window. He'd had a few near misses when he'd chosen to use his main bedroom window, and given his current sour mood and crappy luck, he was more than certain he'd screw up and give away his most guarded secret.

Thankfully the bathroom and his bedroom were both devoid of life upon his return. Shedding his transformation, Adrien picked up his towel from the floor where he'd dropped it and hung it on the railing to dry.

"Cheese?" Plagg stated with an enquiring look.

With a sigh, the model walked over to his still stocked cheese cupboard. "You know where they live, Plagg."

"I do but you looked like you needed to snap out of whatever funk you were sinking into."

Adrien slumped down to sit on the edge of his bed. "She's got a boyfriend. A freaking boyfriend!"

"And you've got thousands of love letters from girls you don't even know."

The model threw his hands into the air. "But that's different, Plagg. I don't feel an emotional connection to someone else. I just want her and now I don't know if that's ever going to be possible."

"She did say boyfriend, right? Not fiancée or husband. Boyfriends come and go. There's nothing to say that this relationship will last."

Adrien dropped his head into his hands, digging his fingers into scalp. "She's always been into another guy. This could be him and if it is I stand no chance."

Plagg let out a resigned sigh. "Perhaps you need to look at other options. Like a meaningful relationship with cheese. But not camembert, you need to find something other than my beloved. Maybe gouda or brie, feta even."

Adrien gave his kwami a half-hearted smile. "Plagg, I don't think it's possible for anyone but you to love cheese at that level of adoration."

The cat kwami shrugged. "True. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Ladybug isn't the only woman out there you know. Take that Kagami, she already thinks she's your girlfriend."

"I am not dating Kagami. Oh crap, I was meant to call her." Delving his hand into his back pocket, Adrien pulled his phone free and winced. Eight missed calls.

Plagg hovered at his shoulder. "Wow, that's on the verge of desperate. I take it back. Maybe you should sift through the love letters instead."

Rolling his eyes, Adrien thumbed his phone to call back Kagami. It rang twice before she picked up. Her voice was gruff. "Adrien."

"Hi Kagami, sorry for the delay in calling. My, uh, phone was on silent."

"Again?" Her annoyance was clear in that one word.

"Sorry, I had a photoshoot earlier in the day and forgot to switch it back over." Not a complete lie.

"My admirer was back. This time when I was supposed to be meeting my mother for dinner. He was here at the restaurant. I needed you, Adrien."

"Where was your mother?"

"She cancelled, had something better to do. Well, actually she said she wasn't feeling well which translates to: I don't want to go."

Adrien rubbed the palm of his hand against his forehead, closing his eyes. He could empathise on that point. "That sucks. Are you okay now? Did the guy leave?"

"I'm fine. I had to be very stern with him but he left." She paused before continuing. "Luka was here and came over to see if I was alright."

The model's molars were suddenly clenched. "Was he with Marinette?"

"They were on a date but I didn't see her until they left. It was weird, she looked like she had run a marathon or something, her face was flushed and sweaty. It's not like Marinette, she's normally well presented."

A frown settled on Adrien's face. "That is odd."

Plagg floated before him, arms crossed with an eyebrow whisker cocked.

"What?" Adrien mouthed to his kwami.

All he got was a knowing grin before Plagg zipped off to get another wedge of camembert.

"Anyway, I need to go my main meal is here and I shouldn't be talking on the phone. If you were here with me, this wouldn't be a problem."

Her pointed tone had him bristling. "I've already eaten."

"Goodbye, Adrien." And with that he was dismissed.

"Wow, that was cold." The model snapped as he glared at the blank screen of his phone.

"At least it wasn't the nasally whine of that Chloe girl," Plagg shuddered at the thought.

The kwami had a point and Adrien gave a nod of agreeance. With the phone call over, he picked up his sachet bag containing his dirty clothes and exited his bedroom. As a curtesy he knocked on his father's studio door. "I heading home," he said as he cracked the door open.

Gabriel was standing poised before the painting of Emilie, his hands behind his back. "This is your home."

"Was my home," Adrien added, keeping his tone as light as possible. He didn't want to evoke his father's wrath again. To him, the mansion was about as homely as a mausoleum.

The senior Agreste let out a snort of annoyance. "Make sure your bodyguard drives you home. You are not to take the train again."

Fighting an eyeroll, the model conceded with a nod. "Very well, father."

It was only as the ominous front door closed behind him that Adrien expelled the breath he'd been holding. This place hadn't been a home since his mother had vanished from his life. With an absent nod of greeting to his bodyguard, the model slipped into the backseat of the dark grey sedan and put on his seatbelt.

Impulse had him pulling his phone from his pocket, scrolling through his contacts until he stopped at Marinette's details. For some unknown reason he really wanted to call her. But it was stupid. She would be with Luka. Probably making out or possibly making love. His whole body tensed up at that thought. The idea of her being with Luka like that felt so fundamentally wrong to him yet he didn't understand why.

Before he could really analyse his thoughts, the phone in his hand started to ring. Surprise lit his features as he saw the call was from Juleka. "Hello?"

"Hi Adrien, just thought I'd let you know the band won't be practising tomorrow. Things between Rose and I are bad. I think we broke up tonight."

The evident strain in Juleka's voice had him sitting straighter in his seat. "Are you alright?"

"Um, no not really but I'll be okay."

"Juleka, I can come over and keep you company if you want."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Actually, that would be really nice."

Adrien quickly turned to his driver and gave him Juleka's address. "I should be there in ten minutes," he confirmed to her.

"Alright, I'll see you then."

Soon enough the town car rolled to a stop before a narrow building. Adrien strode to the front steps and hit the call button. Juleka buzzed him in and he quickly made his way to the second floor flat. Much to Adrien's surprise it was Luka who opened the door. "Uh, hi." Adrien stuttered as he stepped across the threshold.

"Thanks for coming. Apparently, I keep saying all the wrong things."

The model looked at him blankly, his brain jetting off on two different tangents. The main one focussing on the fact that Luka wasn't with Marinette, meaning they weren't in bed together resulting in a deep sense of relief on his part. The other one was processing Luka's words. "What did you say?"

Luka shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans, looking resigned. "That they can work this out. That they've been friends for years and their relationship is not worth throwing away. Seems that's not what Juleka wants to hear."

"You're right," she confirmed as she walked into the cosy living space, pulling her hair back into a ponytail yet leaving her trademark purple streak free to hang over one eye. It was a look she'd owned for as long as Adrien could remember. "I don't want to hear it. It's hard enough knowing that I'm losing not only my lover but my best friend. The thing is, I don't know if that person even exists anymore. Rose isn't the same. Or at least we don't want the same things, we don't share the same passions. Heck, she changes her mind about what she wants on a regular basis."

Adrien placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. "What is it that you want?"

Tears pooled against Juleka's lower lashes. "I just want to be happy. I'm sick of feeling like I'm trapped with a person who wants to change me into something I'm not. Who won't love me for who I am but what she expects me to be. I want someone I can talk to who listens and cares about what I have to say. Over the last few months I've noticed that whenever we talk she turns everything around so it's about her. She doesn't show an interest in my life except when it affects her. The rest of the time, she simply glosses over the tough stuff like our finances. If we can't communicate, how can our relationship possibly work?"

"Have you told her this?" Adrien asked.

"Yeah, in a roundabout way but as I said, she twists everything so it's about her. She's always the victim, I'm holding her back and so on. I've let her pursue her dreams, I've never stopped her doing anything yet all she does is criticise me. How can you get someone to understand your point of view when they won't even hear you out?"

Luka moved to stand beside Adrien, giving his sister a sympathetic look. "What if I talk to her? Maybe that would help."

Juleka frowned. "I don't know. To be honest, I'm not even sure I want to fix this. While I was upset that she left tonight, a greater part of me felt relieved. Like I can breathe again."

"Sounds like you need some time apart, if nothing else but to think about what you want." Adrien added.

"I think you're right. Although I feel like this is the end and I'm okay with that."

Luka reached out to squeeze her arm. "We'll work through this. Whatever happens."

"I know," she said with a watery smile, leaning forward to hug first Luka and then Adrien. "You guys are the best."

"So," Luka said with a warm smile, "how about we raid Rose's tin of brownies and I'll make hot chocolate?"

"Sounds great," Juleka said wiping her thumb along her eyeliner in attempt to keep it from running.

Adrien could only watch the siblings with admiration, wishing he had the same strong connection with his own family. But then he realised that family didn't have to be restricted to blood ties, it could also be those you were bonded closest to. In that moment Adrien truly appreciated what great friends he had too.

* * *

**Things aren't looking good for Juleka and Rose, while Adrien still has no clue as to why he's reacting so strongly against Marinette and Luka's relationship. Plagg has his very own personal soap opera to keep him entertained. You've got to wonder if he compares notes with Tikki when given the opportunity.**

**As always, thanks for reading and your support - I know this story has been a slow grind so far. Cheers :)**


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